In the wake of a devastating earthquake, rural communities in southwestern Japan are working to restore normalcy. The quake, which hit the Kumamoto area on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu, caused widespread destruction. It set off an explosion at AEON Mall in Kashima, toppled a factory chimney, and flattened homes.
The death toll has reached at least 23, while officials are still unclear about the number of missing individuals. Rescue operations continue as time runs out to find survivors. According to the Kumamoto prefectural government, at least 63 people are injured, with five in serious condition. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara reported a higher death toll of 28, based on police information, noting that some cases may eventually be unrelated to the earthquake.
Survivors recount traumatic experiences of rescuing family members from rubble, some of whom required hospitalization. Thousands are spending nights at evacuation centers set up in gyms and large facilities. Many homes remain without water or electricity, and fear keeps residents from returning. Nearly 23,000 homes are without power, and over 10,000 people are sheltering in approximately 400 centers equipped with added power sources for air conditioning.
The Ministry of Environment has issued a heat stroke alert for the Kumamoto area, with temperatures expected to reach 33 C (91 F).
The stringent building codes in Japan, designed to withstand frequent quakes, were not enough for some older, more fragile homes. The AEON Mall faced the most severe damage, with the shopping center bustling with thousands when the quake hit. The company reports that around 3,000 customers evacuated before the explosion in a different part of the mall, yet the incident trapped some people as the second floor collapsed. As of Thursday, six people from the mall have died, and 11 individuals were extracted from the debris.
Family members of the missing continue to wait, enduring the heat as they hope for news. In the Yatsushiro area, a chimney collapse at a Nippon Paper Industries factory led to 10 rescues. Tragically, eight people at this site died, with one person still unaccounted for.